Size Structure and Reproduction of Violet Shell Janthina prolongata Stranded on the Coast of Iwami-cho in Tottori Prefecture, Southwestern Sea of Japan

Abstract

We investigated size structure and reproduction of violet shell Janthina prolongata stranded on the coast of Iwami-cho in eastern part of Tottori Prefecture, southwestern Sea of Japan, on 27 September, 2010. Shell length (SL) exhibited a bimodal size distribution with a range of 6.08–40.36 mm. Our results also indicated that individuals of more than 27.4 mm SL laid egg capsules under their bubble raft. Moreover, there was a significant positive correlation between the length of egg capsules and SL. Larger individuals had shrunken and differently colored egg capsules on the forefront of bubble raft, suggesting that J. prolongata might lay egg capsules intermittently.